Mold-board elevating and lowering mechanism for road graders



March 10, 1936. F. ELARNDT 2,033,117

MOLDBOARD ELEVATING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Filed July 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lzwndz March 10, 1936. F. E. ARNDT 2,033,117

MOLDBOARD ELEVATING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Filed July 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3? a? & 1 Y

Z; aglli V 5; i 34 Ill Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNlTED STATES MOLD-BOARD ELEVATING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Franklin E. Arndt, Gallon, hio, assignor to The Galion Iron Works & Mfg. 00., Galion, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application July 21, 1928, Serial No. 294,442

41 Claims. (01. 37-156) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in road graders and relates 1 particularly to improved means for raising and lowering the mold-board and its scraper blade.

The invention has for its primary object an improved apparatus of this character so constructed and arranged that a very powerful and effective elevating and lowering means for the mold-board is provided, and which means involves the use of the screw and nut principle.

The invention has for a further object an elevating and lowering mechanism which includes telescopic hangers or supporting rods mounted on opposite sides of the framework of the machine, and rotatable nuts engaging said rods, means being provided whereby the operator at his accustomedstation may easily manipulate the apparatus and readily raise and lower either side of the mold-board, or the whole mold-board, as desired.

Still another object is to provide hanger rods or supports mounted in gimbal joints so that they may be swung in a plurality of planes to conform to the side shifting and vertically adjustable movements of the mold-board.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully appear as the description proceeds,-

some partsin elevation and others partly broken away.

Referring to the drawings, Ill designates the frame beams of the machine supported at front and rear by the ground wheels II and l2; l3

designates the engine which is supported at its rear by the rear ground wheels l2 and at its front end in a cradle depending from the framebars I 0; and I4 designates generally the operator's l6 designates the draw bar mounted in the usual manner and carrying the circle or supporting frame I1 for the mold-board l8 and its a blade.

station at the front of which-is a flat cowl board The circle I], so far as this present invention is concerned, may be partially rotated in any desired manner, being held in adjusted positions relative to the draw bar l6 by means of a latch l9, and the draw bar I 6 may be swung laterally 5 so far as the present invention is concerned, by any desired means such, for example, as the screw-threaded shaft 20 and link rod 2|, operating by means of a rearwardly inclined sectional shaft 22 having universal joints 23, and manip- 10 ulated at its rear end by means of a hand wheel 24 in convenient reach of the operator? 25 designates generally the steering shaft consisting of a plurality of sections connected together by universal joints and rotated by means 15 of a hand-wheel 26.

In carrying out the present invention I provide an outer stationary housing 21 which at its upper end is enlarged to form a gear casing 28,

said casing being provided with a cover 29. The 20 I and disposed within these upright members is'zg an octagonal frame 33 having trunnions 34 which engage in openings in the uprights 32. The trunnions 30 also are mounted insuitable bearings in this framev 33, so that the\outer housing 21 I is mounted in the gimbal joints whereby it may 30 oscillate in anyone of a plurality of planes.

Supported by roller bearings 35 in the housing 21 is a shaft 36, which extends downward nearly to the lower end of the housing 21, and is screwthreaded at 37. This shaft 36 has pinned upon 35 its upper end within the'gear casing 28 the bevel gear wheel 38. The gear casing 28 has a lateral extension 39 provided with a suitable bearing for a radially directed shaft 40, and this shaft carries upon it at its inner end the bevel gear wheel 40 4| meshing with the gear wheel 38. A nut 42 has screw-threaded engagement with the upper end of the shaft 36 andbears against the gear wheel 38 and holds it firmly in place.

Having telescopic engagement through the low- 45 er end of the housing 21 isa tubular hanger section 43 having an internal diameter larger than .the diameter of the screw 31 and an external diameter less than the internal diameter of the housing 21 for the greater portion of its length, the housing 21 fitting the hanger'section Lat its lower end. The hanger section adjacent its upper end is formed with an inwardly extending shoulder 44 and above this is internally screwthreaded for the reception of an inserted bronze per end of the section 43 and rests upon the shoulder 44. This bronze nut is internally screwthreaded for engagement with. the screw 31 and thus it will be obvious that as the screw 36 is rotated in one direction or the other, the section 43 will, of course, be either raised or lowered. The lower end of the section 43 is formed to provide one-half 46 of the socket of a ball and socket joint, the lower one-half being designated 41; these two sections being held together in any suitable manner.

The ball 48 of this joint is mounted upon the draft bars l6. Packing material 49 is disposed in the lower end of the housing 21 to prevent theentrance of dirt and dust between the housing and the hanger section 43.

It should be particularly noted that the interior operating structure of each of the two hangers on opposite sides of the machine is completely enclosed at all times thereby effectively excluding dust and dirt from the bevel gearing 38, 4|, from the spaced thrust bearings 35, 35 and the journal bearing 36, and from the nut and screw elements and 31. Furthermore, such enclosure affords a means for maintaining a lubricant between the relatively movable parts within such enclosure, the lubricant being introduced through an opening in the top of the cover 29 to partially fill the casing 28 from which it is free to flow to the thrust and journal bearings and through the vertical passageway in the bearing block below the casing 28, to the nut and screw elements and to the sliding bearing between the housing or sleeve 21 and the tubular hanger section 43, the packing 49 being relied on to keep the lubricant from flowing out of the lower end of the sleeve The nut 45 is held seated against the annular shoulder 44 by means of a split resilient ring in 'an annular groove at the upper end of the tubular hanger section 43, asshown in Fig. 4. The lower end of the tubular hanger section 43 is connected to the socket 46, 41 of a ball and socket joint, the ball 48 being secured to one end of the transverse beam at the rear end of the drawbar frame l6. It will thus be seen that in each of the hangers on opposite sides of the machine the lower section 43 is held against turning on the axis of the nut and screw elements so that the nut 45 will be held stationary when the screw 31 is rotated by means of the bevel gearing 38, 4|.

It should also be noted that the structure shown in Fig. 4 constitutes screw-lifting mechanism mounted on the frame In for universal movement relatively thereto and for universal move ment relative to the drawbar frame I6. The lifting strains are imposed on the lower section 43, the nut and screw elements 45, 31, the vertical shaft 36, the upper thrust bearing 35, the bearing block below the casing 28 and through the latter and the gimbal joint shown in Fig. 2. Consequently' the housing 21 constitutes a sleeve extension depending from the casing 28 and telescoping over the cylindrical surface of the hanger section 43 to form a telescopic housing to exclude dust and dirt and to prevent lubricant from escaping from the interior relatively movable elements.

Inasmuch as the front end of the drawbar I frame I6 is loosely connected to the forward end of the machine frame Hi, the mold-board l8, by

, means of ,the laterally spaced-apart hangers and I 2,088,117 nut 45 which is screwed in place within the up-' ous elevations and, inclinations and lateral positions. The hangers will therefore at various times occupy positions inclined from the vertical which will result in bending strains being exerted on the hangers. In order to maintain the efficiency of the nut and screw elements the latter are relieved of such bending strains by providing the elongated sliding bearing between the sleeve 21 and the section 43 as shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, by providing a telescopic hanger to take the bending strains the friction between the nut and screw elements may be reduced to a minimum thereby facilitating individual manual operation of the hange'rs when the road working implement is to be adjusted from a single operator's station at the rear end of the road grader, as shown in Fig. 1.

The shaft 46 extends out through the bearing 39 and at 50 is connected by a universal joint to a shaft section 5| which extends'upward and rearward and telescopes into a shaft section 52 with which it has rotative engagement. This shaft section 52 in turn has a universal joint connection with a shaft section 53 extending through the cowl board l5 and which carries the hand wheel 54. With this construction it is obvious that when the wheel 54 is rotated the screw 31 will be rotated in one direction or the other to act to raise or lower the sliding hanger section 43 which will thus raise or lower the blade of the grader. By reason of the fact that the housing 21 is mounted in gimbals and because of the universal joint connection between the hanger rod or section 43 and the draft bars IS, the raising and lowering mechanism will operate in any adjusted position of the circle and of the blade. The forward and rearward tilting of the housing 21 is accommodated by telescopic joint 52 and lateral movements of the housing are accommodated by the universal joint connections 50 and 53 and by the sliding or telescopic connection at 52.

From the single station H at the rear end of the tractor grader shown in Fig. 1, the operator may effect operation and control of the tractor unit l3, turn the hand wheel 26 to operate the steering mechanism at the front end of the grader, rotate the wheel 24 to operate the laterally shifting mechanism comprising the screw-threaded shaft 20 and the link rod 2|, and turn either or both of two wheels 54 for individually operating the telescopic hangers by relatively rotating the nut and screw elements therein.

In operating a grader under obstructions which cannot be conveniently removed it is desirable to maintain relatively low the overall height of the machine. It is therefore preferred to provide a depending screw element 31 in each hanger so that the upper end 29 of each hanger may remain at a fixed elevation relative to the machine frame and near the latter in a horizontal-plane below a horizontal plane extending through the upper edges of the operating wheels at the operators station, as shown in Fig. 1. The operating wheels 26 are connected through the universal joints 56, 53 and intermediate sliding connection 52 to the bevel gearing 4|, 38, the shaft 40 extending into the gear casing 28 at one side thereof below the plane of the cover -29.

A construction of this .character is relatively simple and is very powerful. By its mechanism the circle and the parts supported thereby, which in turn support the mold-board or scraper, may

be easily raised or lowered. It will be noted that the downward movement and the upward movement of the circle and its supported parts are both positive.

While the elevating and lowering mechanism hereinbefore described is shown only on. one side of the machine, it is, of course, to be understood that the entire mechanism is duplicated on the opposite side of the machine, whereby one end of the mold-board maybe raised or lowered further than the other end, and the whole moldboard raised and lowered as required by the work in hand. a

While I have illustrated this lifting mechanism as applied to a. particular form of road grader, I do not wish to be limited to this, as obviously the principle of this device. may be applied to the construction of lifting mechanism for graders of entirely different general character. Neither do I wish to be limited to the details of construction as these may be modified in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. i

What I claim, is:

1. In a grader, in combination with a supporting frame, a circle, draft bars, mold-board and ing mounted in gimbal joints in the frame above the mold-board, a screw-threaded member contained therein and extending longitudinally I thereof, a hanger having screw-threaded engagement with the screw-threaded member and telescopic engagement with the housing, the hanger being flexibly connected operatively to the circle and draft bars, and means for rotating the screwthreaded member.

2. In a grader, in combination with a supporting frame, a circle, draft bars, mold-board, and means for shifting the circle, draft bars, and mold-board laterally in either direction, a housing mounted in gimbal joints in the frame above the mold-board, a screw-threaded member contained therein and extending longitudinally thereof, a hanger having screw-threaded engagement with the screw-threaded member and telescopic engagement with the housing, the hanger being flexibly connected operatively to the circle and draft bars, and manually controlled means for rotating the screw-threaded member, including inter-meshing gear wheels disposed within the housing, and a plurality-of shaft'sections flexibly connected to each other and to one of the gear wheels. I

3. In a grader, in combination with the supporting frame thereof, a circle, draft bars, mold- .board, and means for shifting the circle, draft within the housing and having screw-threaded.

engagement with the screw whereby as the screw is rotated the hanger bar will be raised or lowered, the hanger bar having a universal joint connection to the draft bars, gearing operatively engaged with the upper end of the screw, and a raising or lowering these parts comprising a housing mounted in gimbal joints upon the frame above the mold-board, the housing being tubular and open at its lower end, a screw supported within the housing extending downward concentric thereto, a hanger bar interiorly's'crewthreaded to engage said screw and telescoping within the'housing, the hanger at its lower end having ball and socket joint connection to the draft bars, intermeshing bevel gear wheels, one

' of which is carried by-the screw and the other ibly connected shaft sections. a

5. In a grader in combination with a supporting frame and a mold-board, of means for operatively supporting the mold board and permitting it to be shifted laterally, including a housing mounted for movement in a. plurality of directions-on the frame above the mold-board, a screw-threaded member contained within the housing and extending longitudinally thereof, a hanger having screw-threaded engagement with the screw-threaded member and telescopic engagement with the housing, the hanger being flexibly connected operatively to the mold-board for swinging movement both laterally and forwardly, and means for rotating the screwthreaded member.

6. In a grader, elevating means for the moldboard thereof including a screw, a housing surrounding the screw and mounted for swinging movement in a plurality of planes, a hanger telescoping into the tubular housing and. having connected by a shaft with a universal joint therein to said screw-lift mechanism to secure relative rotation of said-nut and .screw elements.

8. In a road working machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a road working implement connected thereto, two screw-lifting mechanisms each pivotally connected to said frame and pivotally connected to said road working implement, telescopic enclosures, for said screw-lifting mechanism, and means comprising separate wheels connected by shafts with universal joints therein to said screw-lifting mechanisms to operate the same individually:

9. Ina road grader, the combination with a main frame, of a scraper mounted thereon, hangers connected to-said scraper and each comprising a threaded rod and a member inthreaded engagement therewith, means comprising ahousing for entirely enclosing said threaded rod, operating wheels one for each of said hangers and operating shaftsv comprising universal joints connected between said wheels and said hangers.

10. In a road grader, the combination with a main frame, of a scraper frame connected thereto, extensible hangers mounted 'on said main frame with their upper ends fixed in elevation relative to said main frame, telescopic enclosing supports for said hangers mounted for universal movement upon said main frame, an

operating wheel for each extensible hanger and mounted on said main frame, a shaft connecting each wheel with its respective hanger, mechanism embodied in each hanger for varying the length thereof, and universal joints in said shafts for permitting freedom of movement thereof when said hangers are varied in length to relatively adjust said scraper frame.

11. In a road grader, the combination with a main frame, of a scraper frame connected thereto, hangers connected to said scraper frame and comprising depending threaded lifting rods with their upper ends at fixed elevation relative to said main frame and lower members received in threaded engagement therewith, mechanism for mounting said hangers on said main frame for universal movement relatively thereto, an operating wheel for each hanger, independent means operated by said wheels for securing relative rotation between the said lifting rods and members to adjust the scraper frame, and sleeves extending downwardly from said mounting mechanism in sliding engagement with said lower members.

12. In a road grading machine, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of a beam disposed transversely beneath the said frame, a scraper blade carried by said frame, spaced-apart vertical telescopic enclosing hangers between said frame and said beam, pivotal connections between the hangers and said frame, pivotal connections between said hangers and said beam, means for effecting the adjustment of said hangers telescopically, operating wheels one for each of said hangers, and operating shafts having universal joints therein connecting said wheels to their complemental members of said adjustment means.

13. In a road grader, the combination with a wheeled supporting frame, of a drawbar frame, a mold-board mounted on said drawbar frame to move bodily therewith, hangers at the sides ofsaid supporting frame connecting the latter to said drawbar frame with the upper ends of said hangers at fixed elevations relative to said frame, each hanger comprising nut and screw elements, means for mounting the screw elements on said supporting frame for rotation relatively thereto and with their upper ends at fixed elevations relative to said frame, means for connecting the nut elements to said drawbar frame for non-rotation relatively thereto, operating wheels one for each hanger, and shafts with universal joints therein for connecting said wheels to said screw elements to rotate the same in said nuts.

14. In a road working machine, the combina tion with a main frame, of a tool connected to said frame for adjustment relative thereto, means for adjustably supporting said tool with respect to said frame, said means comprising a link extensible in length between its ends and including a plurality of relatively extensible screw connected upper and lower members respectively universally connected to said frame and to said tool, and means connected 'to the upper end of the upper member for adjusting the relative extension of said members.

, 15. In a road working'machine, the combination with a main frame, of a supplemental frame connected to said main frame for adjustment relative thereto, a tool carried by said supplemental frame, means for adjustably supporting said supplementalframe and said tool r lative to said main frame, said means comprisng an extensible link including relatively rotatable nut and screw elements between members universally connected to said frames, and means comprising a sleeve on one of said members telescoping the other member to afford a sliding bearing between said members.

16. In a'road grader, the combination with a main frame, of a scraper frame, hangers between said frames each comprising a sectional housing with nut and screw elements entirely enclosed thereby at all times to protect said nut and screw elements from the ingress of dirt and dust, a universal connection between each of said housings and said main frame, and a universal connection between each hanger and said scraper frame.

17. In a road working machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a drawbar frame, a road working implement carried by said drawbar frame, means comprising a hanger having nut and screw elements for adjusting the elevation of said road working implement, and a rigid enclosure for said nut and screw elements to exclude dust and dirt therefrom.

18. In a road working machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a supplemental frame connected thereto, a road working implement carried by said supplemental frame, means comprising nut and screw elements for adjusting the elevation of said roadworking implement, and a sleeve telescopically associated with said adjusting means to effect complete enclosure of said nut and screw elements.

19. In a road workingmachine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a road working implement, means mounted on said frame and connected to said road working implement to adjust the position of the latter, said means comprising nut and screw operating elements, and a tubular extension telescopically associated with said adjusting means.

20. In a road working machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a road working implement, telescopic housings\respectively connected to said frame and said road working implement, nut and screw elements enclosed by said housings, and mechanism for effecting relative rotation between said nut and screw elements to adjust the position of said road working implement relative to said frame.

21. In a road working machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a road working implement and vertical hangers 'for adjustably suspending said road working implement from said frame, each hanger comprising nut and screw elements, an upper housing fixed in elevation relative to said supporting frame and carrying one of said elements, and a lower housing carrying the other element and telescopically related to the upper housing.

22. In a road working machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a road working implement mounted thereon for adjustment relative thereto, means comprising relatively extensible non-rotatable members connected by relatively rotatable nut and screw elements for adjusting the road working implement relative to said frame, and a sleeve on one of said members slidable on the'other member to aiford an elongated slide bearing between said members to prevent bending strains on said adjusting means from being imparted to said nut and screw elements. I

23. In a road working machine, the combinamounted in one member and the screw rotatably mounted in the other member, and means for rotating said screw element in said nut to effect adjustment of said road working implement rela-;

tive to said frame.

24. In a road working machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a road working implement, screw-lifting mechanism comprising nut and screw elements enclosed in a. housing having telescopic sections, connections between said sections and said frame and road working implement to hold said sections against axial rotation and confining such sections to relative axial sliding movements, and mechanism for operating said screw-lift mechanism by relatively rotating said nut and screw elements to spread or retract said sections to effect adjustment of said road working implement while said nut and screw elements remain completely enclosed to protect the same from ingress of dirt and dust.

25. In a road grader, the combination with a wheeled supporting frame of a drawbar frame mounted thereon, vertical hangers located at the sides of said supporting frame and each comprising nut and screw elements, means for mounting the screw elements on said supporting frame each for universal movement relatively thereto and each with its upper end at fixed elevation relative to said frame, means for connecting said nut elements to said drawbar frame each for universal movement relatively thereto but for non-rotation, and separate and independent operating means forsaid screw elements.

26. In a road working machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a road working implement, two spaced-apart vertical hangers at the sides of said frame each comprising a depending screw element threaded into a nut element and supports for said elements to confine the upper ends of said depending screw elements at fixed elevations relative to said frame, connections between the upper supports and said frame to afford universal movements of said upper supports relatively to said frame but holding said supports against rotation-on vertical axes relatively to said frame, connections between the lower supports and said road working implement affording universal movements of said lower supportsrelatively to said road working implement but preventing rotation of said supports on vertical axes relatively to said road working implement, and means to efiect relative rotation between said nut and screw elements on vertical axes to vary the distances between the ends of said supports by varying the lengths of said hangers and thereby adjust the elevation of said road working implement.

27. In a road working machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of. a road working implement, screw-lifting mechanism comprising end supports with the upper support having a depending screw element threaded through a nut element carried by the lower support, means connecting said endsupports to said frame and said road working implement each for non-rotation on the axis of the screw and nut elements and with the upper ends of said depending screw elements at fixed elevations relative to said frame,

transmission gearing carried by the upper support and'connected to said depending screw element, and means extending laterally through the upper support to said gearing to drive the same and rotate said screw element to effect adjustment in elevation of said road-working implement.

28. In a grader, the combination with a supporting frame, of a road-working implement connected thereto, means for operatively supporting said road-working implement for adjustment in scopic sections, of nut and screw elements enclosed thereby, means for effecting relative rotation between said nut and screw elements, and devices on said sections for holding the same against rotation while said nut and screw elements are being relatively rotated.

30. In a road making machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of an adjustable member mounted thereon, a housing comprising telescoping sections respectively connected to said frame and said member, nut'and screw elements enclosed by said housing, and means for relatively rotating said nut and screw elements to adjustvthe position of said member relatively to said frame.

31. In a road making machine, the combina-v tion with a supporting frame, of a road working implement connected to said frame, a housing comprising telescopic sections, nut and screw ele ments enclosed by said housing, spaced-apart thrust bearings with a journal bearing between the same for supporting the screw element in one of said sections, a nut secured to the other section and meshing with said screw element, means for flexibly connecting said sections to said frame and to said road working implement,

and mechanism operable from without said' housing for rotating said screw element While said nut element is held against turning. 32. A road building machine comprising, in

' combination, a wheeled supporting frame, an adjustable member, mechanism comprising extensible telescopic translating mechanism connecting said frame and said member and including nut and screw elements, a tubular extension telescopically associated with said nut and screw 'elemenirs, and means connected to one end of said translating mechanism for effecting relative rotation of said nut and screw elements to adjust said member relative to said frame.

33. A road building machine comprising, in combination, a wheeled supporting frame, an adjustable member, extensible translating mechanism comprising nut and screw elements in a telescopic enclosure adapted to retain lubricating material, and means relatively rotating said nut and screw elements to vary' the extension of said'tra-nslating mechanism to adjust said member relative to said frame while said telescopic enclosure retains the lubricating material for said nutand screw elements.

34. In a road making machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a road working implement mounted thereon for adjustments laterally and in elevation and in inclination relative to said frame, extensible hangers each va-"' riable in length, a telescoping housing for each hanger to provide elongated slide bearings, a universal connection between each hanger and said supporting frame, a universal connection between each hanger and said road working implement, means connected to 'said hangers for individually operating the same to vary the lengths thereof to effect adjustments in elevation and in inclination of said road working implement, and means for shifting the road working implement laterally as permitted by said universal connections, said shifting means cooperating with said hangers and slide bearings to hold the road working implement in adjusted position during operation thereof with the elevation and inclination of the road working implement dependent upon.

- ing frame with the upper end of each hanger at a fixed elevation relative to said frame, a universal connection between each hanger and said road working implement, means connected to the upper ends of each of said hangers for individually operating the same to vary the lengths thereof to effect adjustments in elevation and inclination of said road working implement, and means for shifting the road working implement laterally as permitted-by said universal connec-' tions while the upper: ends of said hangers remain at the aforesaid fixed elevation relative to said supporting frame, said shifting means cooperating with said hangers and said slide bearings to hold the road working implement in adjusted position during operation thereof.

36. In a road grading machine, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of a drawbar frame adjustably connected at its forward.

end to said wheel supported frame, a mold board carried by said draw-bar frame, spaced apart adjustable telescopic lifting devices, a telescopic housing for each hanger to provide elongated slide bearings, universal connections between said, lifting devices and said supporting frame, universal connections between said lifting devices and said draw-bar frame, means for operating the said telescopic lifting devices individually to adjust the elevation and inclination of the mold board, and means to adjust the position of the mold board laterallyby shifting the rear end of said draw-bar laterally relatively to said supporting frame while the adjusted lifting devices effect adjustment of the draw-bar frame at its forward end relative to said wheel supported frame.

37. In a road building machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a draw-bar frame connected thereto for adjustment of its rear end laterally and in elevation and in inclination relative to said supporting frame, a-mold-board mounted on said draw-bar frame for bodily.

movemei t therewith, a pair of spaced-apart individually adjustable telescopic hangers between said supporting frame and said draw-bar frame, a telescopic housing for each hanger to provide elongated slide bearings, a universal connection between each hanger and said supporting frame, a universal connection between each hanger and said draw-bar frame, means for individually adjusting said hangers telescopically to effect adjustment of the elevation and inclination of the mold board, and means to hold the rear end of said draw-bar frame in laterally adjusted positions relative to said supporting frame and to cooperate with said hangers to hold the drawbar frame and the mold-board at adjusted elevations and inclinations.

38. In a road building machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a draw-bar frame connected at its forward end to said supporting frame, a road working implement carried by said draw-bar frame, a pair of adjustable lifting devices, a telescopic housing for each lifting device to provide elongated slide bearings, universal connections between each lower member and said draw-bar frame, universal connections between each upper member and said supporting frame, means operable from a single station on said supporting frame remote from said lifting devices for effecting operation of the latter individually to adjust the elevation and inclination of said road working implement, and means operable from the same station for shifting the road-working implement laterally relative to said supporting frame as permitted by said universal connections.

39. In a rear-controlled grader, the combination with awheeled supporting frame, of a tractor power plant at the rear end of said supporting frame, steering mechanism connected to the front wheels, a draw-bar frame connected at its front end to the front end portion of said supporting frame for adjustment of the rear end of said draw-bar frame in elevation and laterally, a moldboard mounted on said draw-bar frame, means for shifting the rear end of'said draw-bar frame laterally relatively to said supporting frame, a pair of spaced-apart telescopic adjustable lifting devices mounted intermediate the ends of said supporting frame with the upper ends of said lifting devices in relatively low positions near said supporting frame at fixed elevation relative thereto,

said lifting devices embodying means within the same for exerting lifting forces, universal connections between the lower ends of said lifting .devices and the rear end of said draw-bar frame, universal connections between said lifting devices and said supporting frame, means operable from a single station at the rear end of the machine and connected to the upper ends of said lifting' bearings, and means connected to said devices for effecting relative rotation of said nut and screw elements to adjust the said member relative to said frame while said slide bearings are maintained.

41. In a road grading machine, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of' a drawbar adjustably connected at its forward end to said wheel supported frame, a mold-board carried by said draw bar, extensible hangers, each variable in length and each comprising means for holding the hanger at adjustable length, a telescopic housing for each hanger to provide elongated slide bearings, a universal connection between each hanger and said supporting frame, a universal connection between each hanger and said draw bar, and means for adjusting the position of the mold-board laterally by shifting the rear end of the draw bar laterally relative to said supporting frame, the elevation and inclination of the mold-board when in its laterally shifted position being dependent upon the lengths of said extensible hangers.

FRANKLIN E. 

